Appleseed Cast Peregrine Graveface 2006/2016

Appleseed Cast Peregrine Graveface 2006/2016 CAT# GRAVE115

Record Store Day happened again and it was lamer than the year before. Despite that, there was a couple of prominent local releases, this reissue of Appleseed Cast's Peregrine album and a live recording of current KC darlings, Madison Ward and Mama Bear. I picked this up. Nothing against Madison Ward & Mama Bear, it's just that group is too available. I have to wait until the band's releases are impossible to find before I show interest. That said, I probably need to pick up a Madison Ward release at some point.

Moving on, Peregrine was released by the Militia Group in 2006. It does have a vinyl pressing, but seeing how the label stopped releasing stuff in 2012, like many of Appleseed Cast's LPs it's become hard to find. Graveface, Appleseed Cast's home since 2013, has the other Militia Group LP Sagarmatha in print and available. For whatever reason, unlike Sagarmatha, Peregrine got the limited release. 2000 copies were pressed, some of which are a colored variant for Record Store Day, others are Graveface Record Club hand-poured vinyl variants, there was a Kickstarter version, and there is standard black vinyl available through Graveface mailorder.

Aside from all that nonsense, it's a good album and was the band's sixth release. It sounds a little more humble than their ambitious Low Level Owl albums, but the experimentation does run rampant throughout the LP, it's just not as obvious. There's a lot of groove and hooks throughout Peregrine and the band doesn't waste their time with beeps and glitches getting to those moments. It also serves as a concept album as it attempts to tell the story of a child, her name being Peregrine, who is murdered by her father and comes back to haunt him for it.

Appleseed Cast Peregrine

Various Artists Eccentric Soul: Smart's Palace Numero Group 2009

Various Artists Eccentric Soul: Smart's Palace Numero Group 2009 CAT# 27

This is a Numero compilation highlighting Wichita Kansas' Smart Brothers along with the artists that played with them at their Wichita, KS club.

The story is pretty surprising and not very well known. Wichita, Kansas soul scene is so obscure the 7"s that are connected to Smart's Palace aren't out of reach for collectors. If found, they bring in around $20, with maybe a few of the dance floor burners edging the $50 range.

The music here is raw. This isn't uptown soul, this isn't even roots driven Southern soul, soul sides. It's working class with tracks that range from the 60's into the 70's. The music changes with the decade and time they were recorded in, however, even the obvious 70s track never get smooth, the music stays raw. Each decade is well worth time on the comp, but if there is a winner, the basement sounds of the 60's sides are impossible to ignore.

As usual, the Numero Group compilation is complete with amazing liner notes telling the story and fantastic packaging. Highly recommended.

Smart's Palace

The Beginning Self-Titled Sound Research Production 1972

The Beginning Self-Titled Sound Research Production 1972 CAT#NR2049

This is incredible. From what can be gathered from the back liner notes, the players featured are members of the Garden City, KS High School Music program and the album was cut at some time around 1972.

While most albums of this ilk spend time covering church music, fight songs and an occasional Beatles song, this goes WAY beyond. Of course, they do a Beatles cover and other pop hits of the era (in fact, the Beginning takes their name from the Chicago track which they cover to open the album). But, there's an original here, with fuzzed out guitar solos and high school amateur charm. Despite that the teen garage scene was a memory by 1972, these kids from Garden City apparently didn't get the message.

The liners indicate also the selections found on the two LP set were arranged by some ringers. A music major from Drake University, Max Lyon. A music major at Wichita State, Cort McClaren. As well as a member of the Colorado Air Force band, John T. Lawson, Jr. However, everything is played by the students at the Garden City High School and was recorded in Liberal, Kansas at likely the only nearby studio.

The album should be worth $100's for the efforts of Bryan Larson, who the liners indicate was a Garden City High School Junior at the time of the record. His guitar cuts across all the fluff. Second, he arranged a portion of the album, which starts on Side 2 with Jimi Hendrix's "You've Got Me Floatin'," which for 1972 anywhere Kansas just had to be 'what the fuck.' He then leads the band through a garage-driven version of the James Gang's "Funk #49." And as cool as those two selections are, the orinigal tune credited to Larson is the highlight of the album. A 15 minute and 55 second track entitled "Rats Running through the Garbage" that takes up most Side 3 is amazing. First, simply because the band instructor allowed it. Second, it's 15 minutes of a kid just freaking out on his guitar. At times the track sounds straight evil. It does get lost a number of times, but it's forgiven just for the inspiration the kids are playing with on it.

As for the cover selections, they aren't all mind blowing, but there are some pretty incredible covers. The cover of James Taylor's "Fire and Rain," is drug riddled, with interesting vocal harmonies and a trippy attempt at making a guitar sound like a sitar. Chicago's "25 or 6 to 4" sounds tiny compared to the original, but the amateur quality is enduring and there's a big chunky bass line and nifty guitar lines.  Not all the cover selections hit, but it makes up for it with unexpected drum breaks and fuzz guitar solos you'd expect from 1967 teens, not 1970's teens from Western Kansas.

Appleseed Cast Mare Vitalis Graveface/Deep Elm 2015

Appleseed Cast Mare Vitalis Graveface/Deep Elm 2015 CAT# GRAVE032

Been on the hunt for this for a long time. There’s an original, then a reissue, both put out in limited pressing and both of which typically cost near the $100 mark. They’re available, I just don’t want to front that kind of change.

Initially, I was pretty stoked to hear about this Graveface 20 year anniversary repress, then it turns out they only put out 150 on black vinyl and an additional 150 on some goofy splatter vinyl. Second, it was like the thing was never on sale. I tried going to the Graveface website on the supposed release date and it was nowhere to be found. I believe it was sold out through pre-order and Graveface subscriptions. Next thing I knew, it’s on the internets for $75. Luckily, I was able to grab one without being to ripped-off, I was willing to spend the $50 someone asked for the copy I know have.

Fortunately, I got straight black vinyl, because splatter, colored or picture discs don’t really excite me like they do some people. In fact, they kind of piss me off. There’s people that spend upwards of $100 on a single album to own all variants? Why? What good does it do anyone to have 5 copies of the same album regardless of what it looks like?

Anyway, I’m glad to have a single copy of this LP. The second track, “Fishing the Sky” is the best thing the band ever did. I’d pay $50 for just that song. However, the whole album is 10 steps ahead of their debut, The End of Ring Wars.

For one, the band added Kansas Native, Josh Baruth, a.k.a. “Cobra”, on drums. His work took the band to another level. He’s a surgeon back on the set. He practically own the album. I’d give him all the credit for the LP, but the band’s songs were also improved.

The tracks put together are still heavy on the emo-side, paying homage to Sunny Day Real Estate and the band’s personal favorite, Mineral. However, there’s experimentation going on, noodling, and feedback throughout. The band was nearing their sound. But, they almost perfected the emo-version of themselves here. No one would have been upset if they decided to stay.

Fishing the Sky

Truth of Truths Oak Records 1971

Truth of Truths Oak Records 1971 CAT# OR1001

This is a pretty extravagant and ambitious rock-opera, double LP put out in 1971 by Oak Records. It seems the main force behind the album is a Texan, Ray Ruff, who founded a couple of labels and had a few 45 releases way back when. What brings it to this blog though is the inclusion of some of Val Stoecklien's last released work. While he wouldn't take his own life until 1993 and was known to be cutting demos up until that time, none of those demos have seen the light of day. The six tracks featured here pretty much conclude his catalog along with his contributions to Ecology's Environment/Evolution as a songwriter (pulled along by Ruff).

The reason for Val's inclusion on this LP is Ruff along with arranger, Dick Hieronymus. Both Ruff and Hieronymus worked on Stoecklein's solo effort, The Grey Life. Apparently, they believed in him enough to take him along on any release he was willing to work on.

As a whole, the rock opera is surprisingly good. Again, the primary forces were the same that worked on The Grey Life, so you had pros working on a release for a small label, perhaps past their prime and a bit too willing go in any direction, it's a varied release that hops from psychedelic soul, to gospel, to some straight psych freak outs and back to commonplace pop sounds of 1971, but it works and has it's highlights. It is of course over the top religious. The album predictably separates it's story into the "Old Testament" and the "New Testament". Like most things Christian, it takes what it wants from the Torah and the Holy Bible and only sounds focused when going into the Gospels. It also features a deep voice over when G-d speaks on the album which is trite and stupid.

Album comes with a pretty nifty insert lyric sheet.

Stoecklein's tracks are interesting. His arrangement on "Joseph, Beloved Son of Israel" is jangly and very Blue Things-esque. His adaptation and arrangement of "The Ten Commandments" is bizarre and more of a filler on the LP. However, the following track, "Song of the Children of Israel (Exodus)" is stunning and beautiful, despite that the song should be a party-track (freed from Egypt, here, man) there's a definite sadness that touches on his work as a solo-artist. The following track, "David to Bathsheba" is centered around a pretty odd Biblical story and it's odd to find it somewhere like this album. The tune dripping in sappiness and works in the sense that a Eric Carmen song is kind of enjoyable, but you sense it was a track Val had put away for another purpose but  transformed into something he found in the Bible, making it a feel awkward. His track, "The Last Supper," is sparse and continues with the melancholy feel of most his tracks found here, it's also surprisingly true to the Gospels, so good job on the source materiel, Val. His final track featured on the LP is entitled "Resurrection," so you know it's near the end of the album. It's a pretty uplifting jam, arranged by someone and only written by Stoecklein, it features a bunch of horns, bells and strings along with a female lead vocalists, so it's not easy to identify it as something Stoecklien would have done, but it's solid.

Joseph, Beloved Son of Israel

Cavern Sound Local Customs Compilation Numero Group 2014

Cavern Sound Local Customs Compilation Numero Group 2014 CAT #b054

The Numero Group, despite their location in Chicago, is quickly becoming my favorite local record abel.  First, the Eccentric Soul comp for the Forte Label, the Titan box set, several 45s (that I have yet to pick up), and now this amazing collection of fuzzed out, acid drenched, rockers from the Kansas City area all of which were recorded at the Cavern in Independence, Missouri.  Granted, not all tracks are garage rockers, but of the 24 tracks, most are.

I've discussed the Cavern before, it's an actual cave in Independence that was turned into a recording studio.  A number of regional labels used the facility to record their groups, Pearce being the main one featured here along with several other labels and few private press items.  It's a cool story, no doubt, but reading Numero Groups extensive liners you'd think the thing was on legendary status.  I think it's more of a fond memory here in KC, but, that's cool, let all the out of towners think our 60's weren't square, we were just a bunch of hippies and stoners recording shit in a cave.

It's an insanely well packaged set, an extensive booklet with notes on all the bands, heavyweight packaging with info on the Cavern on the inside, and two 180 gram discs to enjoy.  As stated, mostly covers on what is now termed garage-rock, from the pop end to the acid psych end of it, but there's a few oddballs in there that don't fit any billing.  Each selected track is worth paying attention to and I've gave my rundown below:

Pretty-Mustache in Your Face  This band is rad enough to lead the set off and also have a double 7" released by Numero.  The original 7" features a crazy label with the center hole as the mouth of a face drawn around it.  It's a legend around town, but does show up from time to time.  The group was highly psychedelic in the vein of 13th Floor Elevators, which given the vast array of teen bands in the 60's isn't surprising, but for dudes from Kansas City, pretty far out.  The song is a scorcher.

Fraight-One Girl  Hey, something from Manhattan, KS, how about that.  Thinking about it, it would have been pretty long trek from Manhattan to Independence as the K7 highway didn't even exist at the time, you had to back road the trip until you reached KC.  The band was probably hot-shit at K-State, but I would think that's like be being the best ice skater from Australia.  Not that big of deal.  Decent harmonies, but stuck in a swamp of 60s pop sounds.

American Sound Ltd.-Aunt Marie  The founder of this band was from Granby, Missouri before gigging in KC, then getting shipped off to war.  Upon his return to KC, he founded this band.  This track is pumped full of blue-eyed soul and horns.  It's a killer track, with a sweet vocal on the chorus.  It's similar to the Chicago's and Blood, Sweat, and Tears of the world but this is such an undeniable dance track, it's a killer.

The Classmen-Doin' Me Right  The drummer of this band looks like he's 12 years old in the photo, but the singer has some definite age to him.  This was a family band of brothers from Independence, MO and dad controlled the show.  It's a nice little blue-eyed, soul ballad.  The singers baritone (or attempt at it) clashes well with the boys in the back shouting out a falsetto chorus.

Jaded-Lovin' You's Blues  Folky-psych sounds from a group of Kansas City Insurance employees.  It's got some tripped out effects on a flute and a dark subject matter, surprising that these guys thought people would be into something this dark around KC.

Larry Sands & The Sound Affair-You'll Know the Words  Kansas City based band, this is a spaced out attempt at country rock, falling in the middle and leaning towards neither.  That's not a bad thing as it just kind of floats in space with light whispered vocals and guitar effects floating all over.

Sheriff-I Don't Really Love You  Cool, upbeat pop sounds.  Singer has a nice Midwestern twang he brings to his vocals.  This could have easily been a hit in any state, just a good pop song.

Tide-I Wish it Had Ended That Way  Lawrence, KS band with a gritty rock sound and a very clumsy chorus.  It's a decent track, but could have had a bigger bottom and maybe some more stoner rock tossed in.

Bulbous Creation-The End of the Page  Extremely dark, psych folk from a Prairie Village,KS Vietnam vet.  Numero Group is re-releasing the sole album by this band...it's so un-Prairie Village I'll have to save my breath and talk about it when I grab a copy.  Very interesting story as the album wasn't released until the group's creative force, Paul Parkinson, was found dead in his home.  His brother found the acetate of his Cavern recordings and was smart enough to let people hear it.

Mulligan-Think Before You Leave  This band actually is from Tennessee, story indicates they were kicked out of their studio by Elvis Presley and told to drive to Missouri for a session?  In actuality, not that far, but still, really?  This can't be true.  Not a bad rock sound soaked in Nashville country-soul.

Montaris-7 And 7 Is  This was a Plattsburg, MO band that plow through Love's 7 And 7 Is.  Considering Love wasn't a huge hit almost everywhere outside of San Francisco, CA, these dudes had to be the coolest guys in Plattsurg back in their day.

Stone Wall-Living Today  Not to be confused with the obscure garage rockers from Indiana, these kids were from Shawnee Mission and the surrounding Kansas City area.  Pretty fantastic track with huge high and lows.  Great guitar work, pretty killer mid-tempo garage rock.

Morningstar-Little By Little  Before becoming an unoriginal, major-label, pomp-rock band Morningstar could do some garage rave-ups.  Female vocals with wound up sound, it's the best thing the band ever did.  Granted, only one member from this line-up makes it to crap-Morningstar, but the band's history just got a million times cooler for me.

Baxters' Chat-Love's Other Other Side  Great name for a band from Baxter Springs, KS, eh?  The bands teenage dance garage was released on two singles by the Pearce label, this song isn't killer, but it's got a nice pop-psych sound.

Burlington Express-One Day Girl (Twenty Four)  Decent garage pop out of Topeka, Kansas.  The band photo shows some shaggy hair kids, but they were trying to go at the mod scene (they are dressed spiffy).  Of note, the band once opened for the Who and featured Greg Gucker who later performed in a band called White Clover who later gave way Kansas.  However, Gucker didn't make the cut and was never featured on a Kansas LP to my knowledge.

The Reaction-In My Grave  This is pure garage rock greatness.  Amateur-hour, stagnated guitar solos, organ riffs, and drum banging, it's perfect.  Their band photo doesn't make them look half as cool as this song, but these were Jr. High kids from Rolla, MO, what do you expect?

21st Century Sound Movement-Feelin' Down  Great band name for sure, these dudes were from the Hickman Mills area of KC.  Pretty psychedlized scorcher with some nifty fuzz guitar thrown in.

The Dantes-Any Number Can Win There's a band photo in the extended liners to this comp and these guys look young...but, the liners also indicate some of the members had graduated from KU.  The band was formed at Shawnee Mission High, so from the Kansas side and do some somewhat psychedelic raving, but nothing shocking.

Larry Sands & the Sound Affair-If I Didn't Want to See You Anymore  Pretty wimpy folk-pysch with an out of place heavy bottom that includes a dark organ and some nice vocal harmonies.

Fraight-William Jones  This is dark and moody, a bit boring, but interesting given the time period.  It's slow, but not in a ballad style, just kind of a creepy tune with drawn out lyrics and harmonies.

The Classmen-Any Old Time   It's decent enough garage pop, nothing that really jumps out on the tune.  It's pleasant enough for pop radio and has a lo-fi aesthetic to it.

Jaded-The King Was  Tons of effects and wah-wah guitar.  Heavy into the pyschedelic scene as well.  As with the other tune featured by the band, it was never released officially, only acetates were cut.

The Dantes-She's Part of Me  Yawn, 60's ballad style stuff.  The band's panty dropper and slow dance original.  Does have a nice soul inspired moment though with some blue-eyed yearning.

A.J. Rowe-Smoke My Pipe (The Sign Ain't Right)  Kind of mystery man, but this is pretty awesome.  Sparse, lo-fi, funk work out with off-the-wall lyrics and attitude.  The 7" it was featured on is out there, approximately 1000 exist and was funded and put out by Rowe himself.

Central Missouri State University 1977 Summer Music Camp Modern Choirs and Stage Bands Audio House 1977

Central Missouri State University 1977 Summer Music Camp Modern Choirs and Stage Bands Audio House 1977 CAT# AHTI 136F77 AH 137F77

Owning these things will become a problem...these custom press high school and college albums are everywhere.  This one is from the Mules of Central Missouri in Warrensburg.  In actuality, that's a little outside of the range of my "local" scope, but the double LP has been hanging in my collection for years, so why not.

There's really only one reason to own it.  It's college performances so it is not the amateurishness that's found on the high school albums (still there, though).  This album's reason to own is the CMS funk workout entitled, "Funkley 19 #2".  I'm not sure on the title, little strange, might be a typo.  Either way, composed by someone named Izzard and from what I can tell, he was a member of the band and a student.  It's some raw shit.

The Casket Lottery Possiblies and Maybes Second Nature/Status 2003

The Casket Lottery Possiblies and Maybes Second Nature/Status 2003 CAT#SN044/ST019

So much to say about the Casket Lottery...much of it I should share for other albums that I sadly do not have on vinyl.

First, the band's leader, Nathan Ellis, probably champions the local KC scene more than any other national touring band.  In the liner write up on this LP he gushes about Ed Rose, Kill Creek, the oft-forgotten Reflector, and the band he was a long time member for, Coalesce.  He's always been that way, it's no joke, it's not a shoutout to friends, it's his genuine take on the artists that surround him in town.

Locally, the Casket Lottery is a treasure, there's support, but, ultimately, KC is not a huge town.  A lot of passionate local music scensters would state they don't get the support they deserve.  Maybe the band doesn't, but again, there's not a huge market for angular indie rock here or many other places.  In the glory days of Shiner, Season to Risk, and Boys Life, it's not like those bands were playing arena's locally.  They were packing clubs and small venues.  They'd tour large venues with other acts, but not as a headliner.  So, the Casket Lottery has always fitted in where they needed to fit in.

However, the point I wanted to bring out is that nationally, the band has created a passionate fanbase.  Their records, like all indie bands, came out limited runs and command high dollar on the second hand market from fans.  You get on social media and you'll find kids raving about the band, bragging about the original issue albums they own, the time they saw them in a basement, etc.  They have a small, but amazingly devoted fanbase not just throughout the US but in Europe as well.

I've always felt that the reason is because quality has always been the band's number one concern.  I have never met anyone more passionate about the entire presentation than Nathan Ellis.  And when I say the entire presentation, I'm talking about everything.  For example, I remember when the band's first EP, "Dot, Dot, Dash, Something or Other Dot" was in the works.  Matt Rubin who was releasing stuff under his label, Paper Brigade, was initially involved and wanted to put out the EP.  At a show, I remember seeing Matt have a conversation with Nathan, afterwards Matt came to me shaking his head.  He explained to me that Nathan was talking to him about the packaging of the EP, how it had to have gold leaf printing or something.  Matt's major concern was he wasn't going to have the money to put out the product Nathan wanted and if he did, he wouldn't break even, he'd lose money.  For a fleeting moment, I was about to say to Matt I would help, but then I looked at the kid's face and realized he just wanted out, not assistance, he was scared to death of it.  Ultimately, Status Recordings released the EP, I'm pretty sure Rubin never bowed out (he would've gone through with it, too nice of a kid) it was just a situation in which Status could offer the Casket Lottery more in the way of distribution and opportunity.

That's Nathan Ellis, he's passionate about it right down to the last detail.  And, everything the band put out with their name on it is intricately designed and beautiful.  Obviously, it goes for the music as well.  This Double LP is a compilation of split EPs, compilation appearances, and a few new songs.  Surprisingly, there are no throw aways or embarrassing moments.  Even the early tunes that Ellis pokes fun at in his liners are above average tracks.  Most compilations like this are filled with dribble and garbage, I mean, have you heard REM's Dead Letter Office or locally, the Get Up Kids Eudora, there is some crap on albums like that.  This collection quality through and through.  It's a testament to the band's following.  If you're willing to put that much effort into every song, fans are going to react.  It's a Fugazi-esque way of doing things and the reason the band carries such a devoted fanbase.

Unteen
Priest Walks into a Bar

Charlie Parker The Greatest Jazz Concert Ever Prestige 1973

Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Bud Powell, Charles Mingus, Max Roach The Greatest Jazz Concert Ever Prestige 1973 CAT #24024

2 years away from his death in 1955, Charlie Parker was invited to play in Toronto, Canada, with 4 other giants of Bebop.  Apparently, some well to do's in Canada decided they wanted an event, brainstormed and decided they'd invite the biggest innovators in bebop to come perform.  By this time, bebop wasn't the radical confusing scene Parker had started.  It was generally accepted as jazz (not "China Music" like Louis Armstrong once dubbed it), the innovations provided by Parker and Gillespie were now commonplace.

Surprisingly, they showed up to play.  Legends say Bud Powell was drunk from the onset, Gillespie was busy leaving the stage to check on a boxing match, and Parker was playing on a cheap alto sax with plastic parts.  It represents the last time Gillespie and Parker would collaborate on an album and finds Parker in good form despite being only two years away from heroin ending his life (he didn't die of an overdose, he died because he was an addict) and playing a cheap sax.  This has been released many times and under different names.  The first being Mingus' own Debut label entitled Jazz At Massey Hall.  This Prestige edition differs in that it contains the trio of just Mingus, Powell, & Roach (supposedly from a different night and also rumored to also have Art Tatum behind the keys rather than Powell).  But, those dudes aren't KC so don't have to spend much time arguing that.

The thing that this LP really showcases is the influence Parker had.  Kansas City, KS born, Kansas City, MO raised, the guy reinvented jazz.  There's pre-Bop and post-Bop, and Charlie Parker is Bebop.  The quintet he is a part of is his and legendary; he's the ringleader.  He's the one that showed them the way.  Even Gillespie, who was far more advanced in theory than anyone, wouldn't have found his true calling had he never heard Parker explode on a saxophone.  Throughout the album, Parker and Gillespie are stride for stride and he explodes on "Salt Peanuts" and "Wee".  He also finds his moments on the ballad "All The Things You Are."

And, I worried about this LP.  I mean, after all, it was two years before his death, could he be all that good at this point?  Of course, it's easy to forget, Parker died at age 36, he was 34 at the time of the recording and still cutting some of his best sides.

Wee

Various Artists Eccentric Soul The Forte Label Numero Group 2013

Various Artists Eccentric Soul The Forte Label Numero Group 2013 Cat # 047

This is my favorite release of 2013.  The archivist label, Numero Group, has collected 28 tracks from the Kansas City soul label Forte and threw them onto a two LP set.  It's complete with an amazing and well researched booklet.

Kansas City has it's rich tradition for jazz and blues.  We even have claim to some nice indie-rock.  But as far as soul music, we never developed a famous sound.  The Forte label attempted to capture some of Kansas City's talent in terms of soul music.  Most the performers featured here were around town doing Motown style revues.  But, when the artist got the chance to do their own thing in a local studio on  a regional label, there are some amazing moments.

Now-a-days, these records are nearly impossible to locate.  They likely enjoyed forms of regional success and sold decent, the label stayed active from the mid-60's into the 70's, but the 45's seem to only be available on-line for high prices.  Collectors started gravitating to rare soul side in the 80's.  People wanted regional and unheard sides, the label's output is now blanketed into the term "Northern Soul," which is a reference to all night dance raves taking place in England, but today just means rare soul.

The most popular of these Forte artists is Kansas City, KS' Marva Whitney.  The collection features two selections from Forte output.  She sustained a fairly successful career after leaving Kansas City.  After Forte, she cut some sides for the famed Federal label.  Then, she was featured as a member of the James Brown touring show and recorded for King.  Her King singles and one studio LP are revered by funk collectors as the some of the dirtiest and raw funk recorded by a female.  In the 80's she found herself recording for number of other labels never catching on in one spot.  Her tracks on this collection are representative of her work, she belts out a song like no other, it's like you're being yelled at, and while the talent around her isn't anywhere near the level she had with King, her tunes here are still stunners.

The collection does showcase what could be termed a Kansas City soul style.  However, lots of obscure, regional soul sounds just as raw as what's featured here.  It's not as clean and crisp (and well, as white) as what Motown was doing.  It's not as earthy and blues oriented as what Stax was doing.  It's not as funky as James Brown, but tries awful hard to be.  The main purpose is to get people out to the dance floor, so it's up-tempo, sock-to-me style soul.  Shouters and screamers that would make you think of Sam & Dave or Dyke and the Blazers.  During the 70's the label did allow for more experimentation, Olathe, KS' Everyday People Life reach into prog-rock realms while trying to conjure a Sly & Family Stone feel.  There's also some Willie Mitchell/Al Green style slickness attempted, some of great, some of it only decent. Overall a highly recommended release filled with obscure, but amazing Kansas City musicians.

Marva Whitney Daddy Don't Know About Sugar Bears
The Fantasticks-Cry Night and Day

The Get Up Kids Eudora Vagrant/Heroes & Villains 2001

The Get Up Kids Eudora Vagrant/Heroes & Villains 2001 CAT #VR357/HV010

For those not local, the album's namesake is an actual Kansas town that lies between Kansas City and Lawrence, Kansas.  It's where Red House Recording studios is located.  During the peak of the Get Up Kids popularity, the band purchased the local studio and turned it into one of the finest studios in the Midwest.  They saved it, proving once again to all naysayers, they always supported their local community and scene.

Personally, I love the compilation, can't say the same for Eudora the town as it's boring and nothing spectacular.  There is the old tale about how a Shawnee Indian named Pelathe attempted to warn Lawrence, Kansas about the infamous 1863 attack on Lawrence by Quantrill and his Raiders.  The legend goes that Pelathe overheard of the attack in Kansas City, Missouri the day before.  Quantrill was in route to Lawrence, so Pelathe would need to arrive in Lawrence before dawn.  He mounted the fastest horse he could find and began the ride.  Nearing Lawrence, the horse had run hard and by most estimates near 40 miles, the horse was staggering.  Pelathe allowed the horse to catch his breath, but knowing he could save innocent lives, he cut the horse in the leg and emptied gunpowder into the wound in attempts to spur the horse further.  The horse was able to make it a few more miles, but collapsed shortly after.  People from Eudora will tell you that Pelathe's horse died in their town.  Of course, every neighboring town to Lawrence lays the same claim.

So yeah, good story, but back to the comp.  I love these types of rarities collections, all the hard to find 7"s and one off comp appearances are presented and while not a retrospective of a band, you hear what the band actually sounded like.  The band's not so shining moments, the cover songs, and the moments of brilliance.  The proper albums by bands are generally a focused effort to impress you, these types of releases are just a collection of songs detailing a career.

I remember when the original stuff came out.  When Ryan Pope told me they were covering "Beer for Breakfast" by the Replacements I literally yelled at him and asked, "What the hell is wrong with you guys?  That song was a Replacements throw away that just showed up on stupid Best Of comps to make you giggle, why didn't you cover something good?"  The Pixies cover of  "Alec Eiffel" they did and played for days straight.  When they said they were covering a shitty Motley Crue song, I rolled my eyes, but still enjoyed the cover.  Then there's the stuff I missed; the amazingly good Cure cover and the horrible rendition of "Suffragette City" by Bowie.

The band has always been just some guys from the Kansas City area.  They weren't elitists, they were literally just some kids that discovered Fugazi, Superchunk, and Pavement in high school and made a band of it.  This collection showcases that aspect of their career and sound.

Alec Eiffel
Newfound Mass (2000)
Close to Me

The Appleseed Cast Low Level Owl: Volumes I+II Deep Elm Records and Big School Records 3XLP Color Vinyl (Gold)

The Appleseed Cast Low Level Owl: Volumes I+II Deep Elm Records and Big School Records 3XLP Color Vinyl (Gold) 2013 CAT # BSR-007

People love these albums.  I mean, they put this reissue out in 2013 and they are freaking gone, already bringing in high dollar on eBay.

Personally, I prefer Mare Vitalis.  I'm likely in the minority there.  I just thought that album had more energy than these (keep in mind, these originally came out as two separate albums).  Plus, Mare Vitalis had "Fishing the Sky" which is the greatest thing the band ever recorded.  I'm just overwhelmed by the response to these albums, I've read that after this album, The Cast became America's answer to Radiohead, and I've read people gush over the experimentation with post-rock sounds.

I remember getting the CDs from Aaron Pillar for free after having to beg him.  Then, after he reluctantly handed them over, I felt bad because the albums can be challenging to get through, I barely listened to them.  There's a lot of space, a lot of experimentation, and it takes a while to soak these in.  At the time, I wasn't in the mood for that.  Further, it just proves, that this has nothing to do with Radiohead, we're not even going to jump into that idea because it's absurd.

However, I would like to address the post-rock experimentation.  The band dicks around a lot on these LPS.  On the liners, they state it's because they have a lot of ideas.  I think the truth is, they needed/wanted to get out of their contract with Deep Elm as soon as possible.  These albums were the answer; two sprawling releases that coincide with each other.  And in between the songs, there's not just segues, there's more songs of looped guitars and drum tracks filled with ambiance and atmosphere.  That part of the LP is what set the emo kids off.  Probably because they never heard Brian Eno, but I guess it was all new to their ears.  If they were familiar with it, they called it Godspeed You Black Emporer-esque, but again, they never heard Eno.  The experimentation is just looped tracks for the most part, some drumming building up and Pillar's guitar slowly adding depth.  It's decent, just not memorable.

In between the segues, there is some incredible songs though.  Had this been just one LP, it's easily 5 star material.  The droning sounds do bleed into the actual songs, but that what makes the songs great, not the albums.  However, by the fan base embracing the Low Level albums and the critical praise, it did send Appleseed Cast in a whole new direction.  The work that followed perfected the sounds found here.  The time since these LPS have been released took them out of Emo scene and firmly entrenched them in the post rock scene.  And, despite being Kansans by choice only, they are currently Kansas' most important band touring and putting out new music.

On Reflection
Steps & Numbers